Can I lock a dog in a small room?

[juice]

I wouldn’t give you one of my rescues , the fact you said you sent the last dog back because it wanted to interact with you and you didn’t want it too speaks volumes . What exactly do you expect the dog to do ? Sit in s corner and be grateful you took it ? It’s a pretty sad life it will lead . 

[Guest crazydoglady99]

I don't know if 'it's better than the pound' is the right justification.

 

Lots of things are better than the pound, but some dogs' lives are so bloody miserable,  being in the pound is like a holiday.

 

No one wants dogs to be in dog pounds, but not meeting a dogs' needs on ALL levels is not so great either.

 

If a cat was played with too roughly, it might scratch and *hopefully* human learns an important lesson. If a dog feels it has no choice but to bite, because human is not doing the right thing - it's a death sentence.

 

I understand you want a dog, and probably think we're all being nasty. Just take a minute to listen to what is being said to you.

[juice]

Perhaps you should list the reasons you want a dog ? So far you have mentioned anything . 

[karen15]

I think this phrase may have something to do with the responses

"Unfortunately we returned it because it was too active and seeking attention, we couldn’t concentrate on work." "When locked, I want the dog to stay quiet."

 

 

All dogs like and need attention. It would be a rare dog that doesn't, as you've already mentioned. I'm not quite sure what attention a dog could seek that would impact your work from home? Mine (previously staffy, now Westie and cocker) tend to sit and sleep at my feet when I work from home. They say they're working for kibble - 10 pieces an hour is apparently the going rate it is probably a trained response, but not something I've deliberately done. We usually have quiet time on the couch, so they're used to being quiet and calm with me.

 

yes a dog saved from a pound or rescue is a good thing. But it isn't good for the dog if it isn't included with the family. Plenty of people have a dog that's solely outside, rarely interacted with. Doesn't mean it's good for the dog. 

[persephone]

55 minutes ago, jwt said:

I hope my child will learn how to behave nicely.

This is so sad , JWT . 

it seems to me that YOU may need a companion , a dog ? Your child must use up a lot of your time & energy ..and it would be nice for you to be able to relax with a pet
As someone who has worked around dogs AND special needs children , your child doesn't sound ready to live with a dog ..and the lifestyle you propose for a possible pet is not one which I would recommend  for a  dog to stay well-balanced and happy . 
Dogs  do best  exercised away from the house pretty much every day ..twice a day . Like humans, they NEED to go places , see new things, have outings ...learn in a structured environment , and be with their family . 
Dogs certainly will find ways to entertain themselves ..and often this takes the form of barking/digging/chewing/scratching in the house or yard  if they lack mental stimulation ! Trust me ...they WILL find something to do . 


A large breed cat sounds a possible solution  he/she can have a secure enclosure in the yard  to enjoy the sun & fresh air  & stay safe ..also to have some 'me time' . You are experienced with cats ..so less stress for you - no having to go for walks /worry about child being jumped on /bitten...and a cat would be quite happy with a room furnished as its own  ! 
My cat spends time in my /her bedroom - with access to her outdoor enclosure . She comes into the rest of the house a few times a day  




 

 

 

 

 
 

[Maddy]

1 hour ago, Dame Danny's Darling said:

I’ve been biting my tongue, @juice, but you have said exactly what I have been thinking.  Except I wouldn’t even suggest a cat as: "It took nearly a year to teach not to squish guinea pigs.”  Cats can be gorgeously squishy, but they can scratch.   

 

Getting a dog should be like getting another family member.  Unlike a new family member, a dog isn’t shut away to have a couple of hours afternoon snooze.  

 

@jwt, it is good that you have asked these questions and told us about your family situation, but I, too, am having difficulty understanding why you want a dog. You have to consider the dog’s needs as well and if you have doubts that you can meet those, put “having a dog” back on the list for a time when you feel more up to it.  

And I definitely wouldn't recommend a rabbit, either.They take gentle, consistent handling to be able to pick them up without stressing them out, and they're not really suitable pets for kids. A lot of people don't realise it but rabbits are fairly complicated animals to care for correctly. They need companionship, a very high fibre diet, six monthly vaccination for RHD and an appreciation of the behavioural differences in prey animals.

Besides that, a pissed off rabbit can be a very dangerous creature. I have scars on my arms from just necessary handling of unsocialised rabbits- a child with no idea of how to correctly hold or respond to a rabbit that's starting to struggle, could end up getting hurt. 

 

To be honest, from the point of view of someone who rescues, I agree with Juice. I wouldn't place a dog with you. It's lovely that you'd like to help a dog out but if the home situation is such that a dog basically has to be seen but not heard, maybe it'd be best to look at other ways to help rescue dogs. Not every home or situation is suited to dog ownership, and in your case, I think you're going to struggle to find a dog that will be happy with the situation, without a lot of training and a lot of understanding on your part.

[Dogsfevr]

Your arguement for taken a dog on is flawed especially by the fact you had no qualms returning the first one .

You are honestly setting yourself and more importantly the dog for failure if you take one on now .

 

A dog isn’t an experiment to teach your son to be nice ,this comes with commitment,consequences and effort from you most importantly.

 

Any dog you take on will require training and have its needs meet because it too will be part of a high stress need and as a breeder I can honestly say not all dogs can and do deal well with special needs children ,it’s a simple fact so plucking any old dog for this scenario is not fair on the dog .We also groom dogs in families that have special needs kids and I can tell you very few have said it’s an easy path balancing it all ,some wished they had waited until there kids where older so they understood the dog more and had learnt better coping skills .Some even board there dogs for respite care aka dog gets time out to have fun and recharge 

If the dog did bite it will be PTS so your not rescuing it because it’s better than the pound ,your rescuing a long term family member will total thought on its needs.

 

In the end you will either listen to what we have all said and what or go ahead but don’t think your rescuing a dog to do it a favour ,that dog wants to be rescued for life 

[mackiemad]

You can't expect a child and a dog to somehow figure out how a child should behave. You need to be in charge and either decide your child and home are not ready for a dog or actively teach your child how to interact with an animal safely - and I mean safely for the the child and the animal. 

 

You seem to be framing the situation as a dog's choice is either you or the pound. That's not the reality - there are many choices, including foster, another family or euthanasia and for many dogs being humanely dead would be better than the feel of being tortured by being shut away, you're not in pain (physical or emotional) if you're dead. Not a pretty or popular opinion but also not untrue and it's one reason why I'm a big believer in humanely euthanasing a day to early than a day too late. If you can't or don't want to integrate the dog into your life then you aren't offering that dog a much better life at all than a pound. In a pound they get fed and walked and interact with workers and volunteers so really what's the difference? You need to clarify why you are taking a dog on, if it's because you think you're saving it then you're not setting yourself and the dog up for a fun, happy life. You need to want to add a family member and not just provide a different kennel. 

 

There is nothing wrong with being able to say I want a dog but my situation is not ready for the lifetime commitment of a dog - it's actually very brave and astute. 

[persephone]

5 minutes ago, mackiemad said:

 

There is nothing wrong with being able to say I want a dog but my situation is not ready for the lifetime commitment of a dog - it's actually very brave and astute. 

Indeed . 

 

[persephone]

JWT  as people who train/breed/work with /share lives with dogs  we all care very much  about the quality of dogs'lives . Not one of us would choose  a dog from a pound to go straight into a home situation like yours . It would be unfair on all concerned .  

There are great rescue groups who have their dogs in foster homes , so that dogs are  used to all sorts of things . The rescue groups then check out the new home/yard/owners ..and  only place a dog if all looks to be good  it's a wonderful way for everyone to feel secure in what they're doing ...no little surprises .

Your situation is unique .
IF you were to get a dog ..as someone who has not owned/trained a dog before , I would advise you to contact someone who places dogs WITH special needs kids ...they can talk with you , answer all your questions   

http://www.dkd.org.au/

https://www.guidedogs.org.au/autism-assistance-dogs

for ideas. 
 

IF, though, as it seems, your child is,as yet, not quite ready  to live  with a dog ... consider a lovely ragdoll cat  ..a stress reliever , if ever there was one .

 

[CHA]

Dogs take a LOT of work and a LOT of your time to become a well behaved member of your family. If you cannot put in a lot of time training and bonding with your dog, especially at the beginning, your dog may become a nuisance to have around.  MOST IMPORTANTLY you need to be able to TEACH your child how to behave around dogs, to be gentle and respectful of the dog. Children love helping with the training of the dog and your shared input teaches the child compassion and responsibility. Please do not think that by saving a dog it's going to be grateful but think how can you make the dogs life happy with you and what you need to do to achieve that.  Dogs are not going to be happy left alone all day and the way they entertain themselves is usually destroying things because they are bored. Having a dog as an important Family member is fun! And it's enjoyable having it as part of your family, not left to its own devices. I don't know any dogs who are happy to be left all day, entertain themselves and not need their owners attention.

[persephone]

2 hours ago, jwt said:

No, really... what is better: to stay in the pound (with a chance of being executed) or to live with a family just being locked 3-4 hours per day in the beginning? Or if I take not directly from a pound but from a rescue group, then they will be able to save next dog from the pound.

Dogs don't think that way ..so it doesn't worry them . They live in the moment .Being given a needle at the pound is not the worst thing ever to happen to a dog , believe me . 

 

the other thing about a dog from the pound , if you insist  is that they are a TOTAL UNKNOWN !!! 

things which would worry me ( and why I would never take a dog direct from a pound  to my home ) 

is it in the early stages of a disease which might kill it  ?

 

is it in the pound because it is an escape artist?  Has it climbed high fences , or dug under fences ? Did it chew through a wooden fence ? 

is the dog here because  people just got sick of it ?  Why ? Maybe it barks a lot . Perhaps it jumps and is too active ..or perhaps it attacks other dogs when out walking .

So many things which I would worry about ... 

 

3 hours ago, jwt said:

I hope my child will learn how to behave nicely. It may take time,

Gee, this makes me so sad .  

having to constantly supervise .
having to lock a dog away 
having to limit all sorts of activities to avoid situations  which might get too much excitement happening..

A thought .  Could you maybe take your child along to  a dog park , or a dog obedience school ..watch from a distance for a while ..perhaps talk to an owner with a nice dog ..baby steps ..and gradually work up to having a dog at home , if that is what your child wants ? 

if you think animal contact would be useful..what about RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ?  Kids learn SO much from being around the horses & little ponies ... and it is very good for physical and emotional development


 

[~Anne~]

Geebus, lighten up everyone! So much judgement!  

 

There is nothig wrong with putting a dog in a room for 3-4 hours if the dog is ok with that. I know of many dogs that would be fine with that. They’d simply sleep the time away and if it was done routinely, they would learn the routine and be fine. 

 

I think a penned area would also work. We used to pen ours by placing a long straight baby fence across from the breakfast bar to the wall. It’s hard to describe but it enabled us to create a pen that was approx 2.5m x 1m and as it was parallel to the back door where there was a dog door, they could come and go from outside too. 

 

From what you’ve described, I would never have recommended a Staffy anyway so the rescue should have screened better in my view. As for returning it, good job. That’s EXACTLY what a responsible person would do and I’m surprised at the responses here by rescuers. That’s WHY we offer a return if it doesn’t work out remember, rescuers? 

 

A few tips tips for what it’s worth:

 

- dogs can and do take up to 12 weeks to show their true colours in a rescue rehome situation. Give the dog time to settle, be patient, speak to the rescue and makes sure you know what is the time limit you have to return the dog if it’s not working out. Many don’t offer this ‘settling in’ time at all. 

 

- speak to as many people as you can about what breeds are more compliant and not overly active. Although rescues are maninly indeterminate breeds, you can make a judgement on what type you might be looking for. 

 

- consider buying and older dog, maybe even a purebred from a breeder. The breeder will know the dog’s personality and traits. 

 

- take your time. Get it right. 

 

Good luck! 

 

 

 

[westiemum]

Troll 

 

[RuralPug]

17 minutes ago, westiemum said:

Troll 

 

I can't agree. I believe poster was genuinely asking for advice.

[Loving my Oldies]

No, @westiemum , the poster isn’t a troll.  She also posted a pic of her backyard asking whether a greyhound would get out. 

 

@~Anne~.  Meh, indeed.  There are a lot more issues than shutting the dog away:  child has to be taught not to hurt animals; poster doesn’t want to be disturbed while she is working; doesn’t want a dog who needs attention; dog would be rarely walked.  

 

We we don’t need to “lighten up” or be lectured by you.  We are looking at the while situation as described by the poster.  Read in full before you fasten on one area.  

[WoofnHoof]

Yes I think that it’s not just the locking away for a few hours, I think it’s mostly the inflexibility of the situation and the feeling that the child isn’t quite there yet when it comes to the appropriate behaviour around an animal, if it took a year to not squash guinea pigs then I am doubtful that they are going to learn appropriate behaviour around dogs any time soon. Does the child know not to pull a dogs tail or fur for example? Is the dog going to be expected to put up with it until the child learns? And it’s not just the child, it’s also the adults working in the home, if you can’t tolerate a little disturbance or a dog wanting a bit of attention then it’s going to be very hard for the dog to understand that. Sure you can get an older dog that will sleep more and be more settled but expecting an old dog (or any dog really) to put up with inappropriate behaviour from the child is probably unrealistic. Those are just a couple of the things that I think are raising some red flags for people. 

 

Personally I think can be a little problematic this concept of getting the “right” dog for the lifestyle because it can make people think they don’t have to make any alterations to their life and the dog will just slot right in, no muss no fuss. So I think you can potentially get the same kind of problems as you get when people don’t consider whether the dog/breed will fit into their life, basically if it doesn’t go perfectly they get rid of it. There needs to be flexibility because it’s still a living breathing animal, whether it’s a carefully selected breed or a well adjusted rescue it’s still not necessarily going to fit into a rigid structure of only a certain amount of interaction, never more never less and it must not make any noise unless the owner approves of it. As with most things in life not everything will go as planned and people need to have the flexibility and the adaptability to deal with that and not lose the plot if it doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes you have to work your life around the animal a bit too, if you can’t then the dog may as well be in the pound. 

 

[~Anne~]

@Dame Danny's Darling ironic given you’re lecturing a person seeking advice. If you don’t want to read what I say, feel free to put me on ignore. I did read the entire thread but thanks for the advice. 

 

The op is probably not going to return. This thread has gone the way many do when someone seeks advice here. The judgements start and people forget that it’s not always easy to get the gist of a situation in writing. Rather than judging why not just offer advice and give the benefit of doubt?  

 

Only the OP knows their precise situation. 

 

 

[asal]

one of my puppy owners, well hes no longer a puppy by now, but she was writing her thesis for her Phd. he elected to be her foot warmer  soon as she settled at the desk for typing sessions as well as research.  Also a uni lecturer so many happy hours keeping her company while she organised lecture notes and marked assignments. 

 

so some breeds are great companions when working at home,

[Loving my Oldies]

3 hours ago, asal said:

one of my puppy owners, well hes no longer a puppy by now, but she was writing her thesis for her Phd. he elected to be her foot warmer  soon as she settled at the desk for typing sessions as well as research.  Also a uni lecturer so many happy hours keeping her company while she organised lecture notes and marked assignments. 

 

so some breeds are great companions when working at home,

I’m not doing anything as productive as writing a thesis , but when I go into the study and sit at the computer, I’m followed silently by four little dogs who settle on their beds and rarely make a sound ........  unless it is around dinner time and then Mezza might make his presence known.